The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of relaxation is probably a space of peace and quiet with a nice drink and maybe a book or some music to enjoy – basically, a time and place where the body and mind can take a break and rest without the worry of work or problems. This is probably a luxury for most of us humble students, toiling away on assignments and labs, and it is probably becoming more and more of an extravagance as the exam week nears. However, knowing the people of KAIST and how much we push ourselves, the moment of relaxation for most of us is probably long overdue. This is why having a moment to cool off may actually help with the work, as it relieves stress and lets the brain take its time to revitalize for other tasks. Maybe even a short coffee break would help. In fact, the readily available stimulant may be the perfect beverage for a break to get the brain running again.

While on the quest for relaxation, why not take a relaxing course? The KAIST Leadership Center’s Cultural & Leisure Program may have been the solution for those asking that question. With the purpose of creating a place for students of any background to come together and learn about various interests and hobbies, the KAIST Leadership Center created the program and has been overseeing the classes for years. Any KAIST student interested can apply to these classes free of charge and on a first-come first-served basis. The program this year featured five classes: Enjoying Hand-drip Coffee, Love and Marriage, Finding my Strengths, Speech and Presentation, and Wording Power-Training. Due to the lack of available classrooms, the program was only able to feature five, but with the construction of the new building on campus, the number of available classrooms will increase and the center will increase the number of classes. The center also takes student recommendations and requests for prospective classes via e-mail and phone calls. In fact, some of the classes featured this semester are recommendations. For example, the class on hand-drip coffee was actually a class from the center’s cultural activity courses, which are designed for freshmen students in KAIST to earn activity units. However, the center had received numerous requests for the class to be open to students other than freshmen and decided to host it in the Cultural & Leisure Program. The class Love and Marriage is another class made accessible once again by popular demand after many students took the same course during the summer and winter sessions from other universities. These courses are perfect for a relaxing escape from the usual classes. The chance to learn about a hobby or a specific interest from a professional in such areas could very well occupy the mind with less stressful and more relaxing things

Out of the courses featured on the Cultural & Leisure Program, the one on hand-drip coffee may arguably be the most relaxing. It used to be taught by Kaldi, the coffee enthusiasts’ club, as a leisure activity for the cultural activity courses. With a more professional instructor, the theories and practices related to the art of drip brewing would be taught with more impact. From the calm and finesse that comes from a methodical pour over the coffee grinds to the deep satisfaction that comes from tasting one’s own handiwork give the whole ritual an elevated and tranquil experience.